Understanding Cracked And Non-Cracked Concrete

Anchors play a vital role in the support of many M&E installations, but they are often overlooked which has led to some catastrophic failures in recent times. A large percentage of these failures have happened simply because the wrong anchor had been selected for the job.

Knowing exactly what substrate the anchor is being fixed into is crucial. This is especially important when it comes to concrete, and whether that concrete is ‘cracked’ or ‘non-cracked’. Whilst some may think this difference would be obvious, it is not always the case.

Cracked concrete is defined as any concrete that is under tension, such as the underside of ceilings or tension areas within walls. Whilst these areas may in fact look fine to the naked eye, they will no doubt have many tiny cracks running throughout.

When it comes to selecting an anchor for use in cracked concrete, it is imperative to select one with an ETA approval for use in cracked concrete. If that anchor is used for suspending services it must have at ETA Option 1 approval.

Learn more about anchor selection and ETA approvals or get in touch with one of the team.